"Didi, what are you doing on the floor?"

"Contemplating life." I said as I looked at the ceiling.

"You fell?" James smirked.

"Yep. Help me up." I took his hands and stood up and immediately felt dizzy. "Ugh, Pomfrey said this would happen."

"What?"

"I kinda left the hospital wing earlier than expected." I said uneasy.

"YOU WHAT!?" James yelled and held me upright. "Vixen, are you barking mad!?"

"I'm bored up there Prongs! And besides, I'll be fine as long as you guys take care of me. Now let's go, breakfast is ready." I grabbed his hand as walked towards the Great Hall.

"You're staying with us every night until the year is up. We've told McGonagall and she agreed."

"YOU DID WHAT!? James, what the hell!?" I slapped his chest.

"Calm down. We didn't tell her everything, and we told her because we trust her. You trust her." James tried to calm me down. "Don't get so heated, Vix. You'll get dizzy again."

"Fine. But I'm not completely on board with this."

"Yes you are. It means spending more time with Padfoot." James smirked.

"Alone?" I smirked back.

"Don't push my buttons, Didi."

"Just shut up and get me some food, Bam Bam. I want to see Sirius." I nudged his arm.

"You saw him last night." James rolled his eyes at me.

"So? I want to see him again. Now let's go so you can feed me. I'm hungry and I miss my boys."

"You're lucky I love you, Jade." James rolled his eyes and wrapped an arm around me.

"I love you too, James."

...

"Guess who left the hospital wing early!?" James yelled once we entered the Great Hall.

"YOU WHAT!?" The three boys yelled in unison.

"I got bored and left. Deal with it." I sat down next to Sirius and kissed him. "Good morning, Padfoot."

"Good morning, my sunshine. Why did you leave the hospital wing?"

"It's boring up there, Pads. Now I know how Moony feels. I'm so sorry, Moony." I said and held Remus' hand from across the table.

"It's okay, Vix. I usually spend a night or two at most. You spent two weeks cooped up in there." Remus laughed and handed me a plate of food. "Eat, you'll feel better."

"Thanks, Moony." I said with a mouthful of food.

"Close your mouth, Didi. That's unladylike." James smirked.

"Suck my dick, James."

...

"Vixen, we did something!" James yelled as the boys ran through the courtyard.

"Whatever it is you did, I'm not becoming an alibi for you boys." I smirked at Regulus who held a laughter.

"Just come here a second." Sirius pulled me up and smiled at his little brother. "Hi, Reg."

"Hi, Siri. I got an Outstanding at Potions today." Regulus smiled at his older brother.

"Really!? I'm so proud of you little bro." Sirius ruffled Reg's hair and pulled me aside. "This is extremely important."

"More important than me tutoring?"

"Yes." Remus said and handed me the map. "Open it."

"Here?" The nodded.

"Just do it, Vix." Peter said smiling.

"Fine. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." I tapped the map with my wand and smiled at the words displayed in the front. "Mses Vixen alongside Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present The Marauders Map. Oh so we're the Marauders now?"

"Wormtail came up with it last night. It's actually really good." Sirius smiled and put an arm around me.

"It really is. I'm proud of you, Wormy." I smiled and he nodded in thanks. "I also love that my name is first."

"Well you were the one who came up with it. Thanks to you, this never would've happened, Didi." James smiled and put his arm on top of Sirius.

"You're welcome. Anything for my boys."

"Hey, Prongs and Vix. Race ya to Charms." Sirius said as he made a run for it.

"In your dreams, Padfoot." James and I yelled and ran after him.

"WE'LL CONTINUE TUTORING AFTER CLASS, REG. SEE YA!" I yelled as I ran down the hallways.

"SEE YOU LATER, JADE!" I heard Regulus yell after me.

...

"Have I ever told you how much I hate Herbology?" I said as I wiped the dirt from my rings.

"At least six times during class, Jade." Lily laughed and wiped the dirt from her face. "This is impossible."

"Can O.W.L.s be over already? I'm exhausted." Marlene said and fell on the floor. "I need a nap."

I laid down next to her and closed my eyes.

"Same here, Marls. I need to sleep for ten years after exams."

"Says the girl who spent two weeks in the hospital wing." Lily smirked.

"Shut up. I've spent those two weeks 'cleansing my blood' and having blood transfusions just in case it was a blood curse or something." I shrugged and took off my cloak. "Where are my boys?"

"They left for the Black Lake again probably." Lily shrugged.

"Ugh, I'm too tired to go after them. I'll catch up to them later."

...

"Love, can you hand me the Transfiguration book please? Thanks." I yawned as Sirius handed me the book.

"Are you sure that you don't want to pack up for the night? You look exhausted." Sirius asked concerned. "I don't want you to burn out."

"I know sweetheart. But O.W.L. review is kicking my ass. I'll sleep after I take the tests." Sirius took the quill from my hand and forced me to look at him.

"Sunshine, it's like four in the morning. You're stressing way too much. What's going on?" Sirius moved and sat me on his lap.

"I missed two weeks of school because of what Snape did to me. I'm trying to catch up on all my work, that's all." I laid my head on his chest and wrapped my arms around him.

"I know my sunshine, but you have to take a break. You barely slept in the hospital wing and you barely sleep now. It worries me and I don't know how to help you. Let me help you, Vix."

"Just be there for me, Pads. I was so scared that day. I didn't want to die." I hugged him tighter and fought the tears. "I didn't want to leave you and the boys alone. I was so scared and felt so betrayed. Severus was my only friend in the snake pit and now I feel so alone down there. I know that Reg is there but he has his own friends and I don't want to take that from him. But now I'm so alone and I don't know what to do."

"But you're not alone, sunshine. We're here for you. Always will be." Sirius kissed my forehead.

"I know that, my love. But you guys are so far away and I can't be here all the time. Sometimes I think that the hat made a mistake in sorting me." I shrugged and wiped the tears.

"It didn't make a mistake, sunshine. It took us a while but Slytherin is the house for you. You proved to a lot of people that being a Slytherin doesn't equal to being evil. You are honestly the nicest person I've ever met until someone pisses you off. The Hat didn't make a mistake, sweetheart. Slytherin is the place for you. It may be a little lonely but you know that the Gryffindor House will be here to help you with whatever you're feeling. You are loved by so many of us. The girls, the boys, your brother, and especially me. Everybody else may leave, but we won't. I promise you."

"How can you promise something like that? We don't know what's going to happen in a few years." Sirius sighed and tightened his grip on me.

"Because no matter where we are and what happens, we'll always find a way to be together. Whether it's in this life or the next. We'll always be together."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Sirius wiped my tears and kissed me. "Now, how about we go and get some sleep? You're starting to doze off."

"Merlin, I love you so much." I smiled as he picked me up and headed towards the dorms.

"I love you more, Vixen. More than you would ever know."

...

"Jade, can I talk to you?" I tensed and almost dropped my books.

"No." I regained my strength and continued to walk. Severus grabbed my arm and I tensed again. Where the hell are my boys when I need them?

"Jade, please. I'm so sorry." Severus begged.

"Just why? That's all I want to know. I almost died and you didn't even care. Why?" I turned around to face him. "Why did you wait until Remus and Peter came searching for you? Why did you wait until you were threatened? I thought we were friends, Severus. And Lily! Poor Lily. You called her a mudblood, Severus! And you didn't think twice about it. Don't you love her? What the bloody hell was that?"

"I don't-"

"Of course you don't know. You never know anything, do you? Just do us all a favor and leave Lily and I alone, okay? It's for the best." I rolled my eyes and turned but Severus grabbed my arm again.

"You don't understand. You'll never understand." Severus looked at me with watery eyes.

"That you dabble in the Dark Arts? I know about that now. I kinda put the pieces together while I was laying on my deathbed struggling to stay alive. I'm not joking, Snivelus. Just leave us alone and forget we ever existed. It's clear that our friendship means shit to you."

"But I saved your life!"

"Yeah, you did. Right after Remus threatened you with bloody murder and had his wand pointed at you. Just leave me alone. And I also include Regulus Black in this. He's way too nice to be hanging with the likes of you. Leave me, and him, alone and we'll get along just nicely." I sneered.

"Jade-"

"Dreadful chat though. Definitely wouldn't repeat. Okay, goodbye now!" I rolled my eyes and turned around.

"Jade, please-"

"Oi Snivelus! What did we say?" I heard James yell and I sighed in relief. "You can't go near her again. Do we need to repeat the conversation?"

"Has he hurt you in someway? Do I need to go to Azkaban for murder? What happened?" Sirius ran towards me and scanned my body for injuries.

"Nobody's going to Azkaban, my love. He was just leaving. Weren't you, Snape?" I raised my eyebrow at him. Snape lowered his head nodding and walked the other direction.

"Are you sure that we don't have to kill him?" James asked.

"Don't do anything stupid. I might be able to get you guys out of detention but I'm not facing the Ministry for murdering a student. Just let it go, boys. I'm okay and that's what matters. He'll get what's coming to him in due time."

"Remind us to never leave you alone again." Peter said.

"Don't worry Wormtail, we won't. The marauders are here to stay. Forever." Remus said as he put an arm around me.

"Forever." The rest of us said in unison.

This is how we'll stay. Together, forever.